Q. Which media features are available in Clients & Profits?

A complete media features list can be found here.


Q. What is the difference between a media plan and a media estimate?

Media plans use the station and publication data (which you'll set up) to automate the planning process -- so there's no rekeying information from the rate table to the media plan. Media estimates skip the planning process; instead, you'll simply type in the details about the media buy each time you need one. There are also specially-designed media windows and forms for broadcast and print plans. Media estimates, however, are free-form. You can customize the information on media estimates as needed. Every media estimate you do could conceivably have different labels and headings, depending on the different kinds of media that you buy. Since there's less to set up, creating a media estimate is much faster than creating a media plan (which may be reason enough to use them). If you don't need a planning system, or use another system (like spreadsheets or a media buying system like SmartPLUS) to plan your buys, consider using only media estimates. Once the media estimate is added, it can easily create insertion orders automatically without rekeying. This saves lots of time and effort, as well as keeps them more accurate.

NOTE: Clients & Profits Classic and Job Tracker have limited media planning, ordering, and tracking capabilities. Only Clients & Profits Pro and C&P Enterprise Edition feature broadcast and print media plans, an online media calendar, automatic media accruals, and more. The Media Accruals FAQs has more information about how Clients & Profits Pro handles media accruals.

Q. Do I have to enter a vendor for each publication or station code?

No. While every publication/station needs to be linked to a vendor code, it is not necessary to add a vendor for each publication or station if there is a common owner.

Q. How do I handle a group of vendors who own several publications or stations?

Just use the same vendor code for all of the company's stations or publications. One vendor can belong to many stations or publications.

Q. Do I have to set up a detailed list of my publications and ad sizes or stations and times/programs to create a media plan?

No it's not required, but it is recommended. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of the most commonly used publications and stations, and their various ad sizes or times/programs (including rates) can be setup before adding print media plans or broadcast plans. The information entered for each publication or station is copied automatically to new media plans, saving time and reducing data entry errors. If the publication, ad sizes, stations, or times/programs tables are empty, you'll have to retype this information every time a new media plan is added.

Q. Can I create a template for media plans or media estimates?

No, there is no template for media plans or media estimates. However, if you need to enter a media plan or media estimate that is very similar to one that is already entered, you can clone the existing media plan or media estimate and edit information as necessary.

Q. What is a broadcast worksheet?

Broadcast worksheets subtotal broadcast buys by station from broadcast plans, showing the total number of spots, total ratings points, and cost per point (CPP). It also calculates the totals derived from all buys/all stations on the media plan: total number of spots, rating, cost, cost per point (CPP), and cost per spot (CPS). Using broadcast worksheets are optional and are typically used internally to fine-tune broadcast plans before presenting it to the client.

Q. How do I set up a client's contract rate for publications and stations without affecting the standard rates?

There are two kinds of media rates in Clients & Profits: standard rates and client rates. Standard rates apply to anyone who has not given a volume or frequency commitment and usually reflects the cost of a particular size and type of ad using the national commissionable or open rate.

Client contract rates for media can be added for clients who have signed a contract based on volume or frequency commitments in exchange for a lower advertising rate. Once you have added media plan, or entered a media plan number in the client's file, you can add a client contract rate by using the pull down menu in Publication/Ad Sizes. Simply select which publication or station you wish to add contract rates for, and pull down the menu from Standard rates to one of your clients -- then add the information about the buy using your client's special rate.

Q. Is the only way to create insertion orders or broadcast orders through media estimates or media plans?

No. If you're working to meet a reservation deadline and need to submit the media order in a hurry (or you've been given approval to place the media order already), add insertion orders or broadcast orders directly into the Purchase Order/Insertion Order window -- skipping the media estimate or media plan.

Q. Do media plans and media estimates affect job costs?

No. Media plans and media estimates function as a preview of the client's media order and allows the media planner, account executive, or account supervisor to review and revise the media buying strategy until it is approved by the client. Job costs aren't affected until the vendor's invoice for the media orders are posted into Accounts Payable.

Q. How many times can I change the media plan/estimate?

As many as needed. A media plan or media estimate can be changed as often as necessary before the insertion orders or broadcast orders are created. Once insertion orders or broadcast orders are saved, the media estimate or media plan can't be changed or deleted.

Q. Can I change the numbering format for media estimates and media plans?

Media plans and media estimates are automatically numbered by combining the client code and number. Once media plans and estimates have been added for a client, they will number sequentially. To change the next media plan number choose Media > Broadcast Media Plans, find the client and edit the Last Media Plan number. To change the next media estimate number choose My > My Clients, find the client, click the Billing Info button, and edit the Media Est# number.

Q. How can I find out which media buys need to be prebilled?

Print the Open Orders report. This report will let you know which buys still have a balance on them so that you can get to pre-billing the client for all of their upcoming media buys.

Q. Can I bill production costs on a media accounts receivable invoice?

No. Media invoices only bill the client for insertion orders and broadcast orders - nothing else.

Q. Does Clients & Profits support media co-op billing?

No. Co-op billing has to be tracked and billed manually.

Q. How do I handle a second media commission rate I bill to the client on top of the media commission from the insertion/broadcast order?

Clients & Profits only supports one media commission for insertion orders and accounts receivable media invoices. If you need to bill the client a 2nd media commission, you can add it to the job ticket as a task - then track and bill it to the job.

Q. Can I add a media invoice including both print and broadcast media buys?

No. When adding a media invoice in accounts receivable, you need to choose between insertion orders or broadcast orders. The unbilled orders will then appear for you to select for billing.

Q. Would I still use broadcast media plans or media estimates even if we're using a media buying system like SmartPlus, Strata, or TAPSCAN?

Probably not, but it depends on your client mix. The media estimating functions in Clients & Profits are designed for low-volume business-to-business media clients. They're ideal for clients that don't require detailed media analysis (i.e., reach/frequency, demographic, qualitative, etc.). It does a fine job of providing a client with a descriptive list of the planned media buys, which they can sign-off as an approval. The broadcast planning functions in Clients & Profits Pro provide a more detailed way to create media plans for clients, but are still designed for low-volume clients.

Media buying systems like TAPSCAN, SmartPLUS, and Strata excel in providing pre-buy and post-buy analysis, as well as providing on-line access to research, unlike Clients & Profits. You can continue generating media estimates, media plans, and media orders in TAPSCAN, SmartPLUS, and Strata -- then use the standard media interface developed for Clients & Profits to import the media buys for job costing and billing.

Q. Why doesn't the campaign and brand appear on the printed broadcast order?

Space is limited on the printed broadcast order so only information necessary to make the reservation is included on the printed copy - such as programs, spots, cost, length, etc. - it is not necessary to include the campaign and brand to order spots from the station.  

Q. Where can I find a list of available Media Reports in Clients & Profits?

MA complete list of available media reports can be found in two places: In the media section of the Clients & Profits User Guide, as well as the Report-o-Matic's Reports Index.

Media order reports review, summarize, and analyze what you’re ordering from vendors. They can be printed showing one type (such as insertion orders only) or all types. media, insertion, and broadcast orders are selected for a range of dates (using date added or due date) and either vendor, client, status, or by the buyer (i.e., ordered by initials).